


1983

by CookieDoughMe



Series: Nate Hansen AU [2]
Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: M/M, Nate and Duke as kids - they were always friends, nate hansen au, references to domestic abuse, references to emotionally manipulative relationship, references to physical child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 21:25:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11090223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieDoughMe/pseuds/CookieDoughMe
Summary: AU based on the idea that Nathan grew up with Max Hansen for a father, and therefore is much closer to Duke than in canon since they now have much more in common.





	1983

Max Hansen is used to beating up his son and emotionally manipulating his wife. He is used to scaring people into giving him what he wants and most of the time, it works.

His young son escapes whenever he can, to spend time with another kid his age who knows what it’s like to have an angry father who drinks too much and a mother who’s unavailable at best.

When the cycle of the Troubles comes around, Nate’s kicks in at the first opportunity because his father is beating him and he doesn’t want to feel the punches any more. Familiar with the Trouble himself, Max realises right away what’s happened and then, as the fear starts to fade a little from Nate’s eyes, the beatings stop as well.

For a while, Nate thinks he’s got lucky. But then Max turns his fists on his wife instead. There is nothing Nate can do to stop his father hitting his mother; he is too young. It doesn’t take him long to realise that he hadn’t been lucky at all; this is almost worse.

Eventually, he goes to the police. Garland Wuornos comes to their house, but Nate’s bruises have healed by then, and his mom says she tripped and fell. Garland promises to keep an eye on Nate, but everyone there knows there is not much he can really do.

Things have changed at home for his friend Duke as well; his father is rarely there any more. Sometimes this seems to Duke like an improvement, sometimes it seems worse. But he is learning to take care of himself and he has Nate to hang around with. Nate, who knows what it’s like, who never needs an explanation. 

They both try to help each other out as best they can. Duke tries to help Nate adjust to the world with no sense of feeling, helping him to relearn things like tying his shoelaces. Nate’s place usually has enough food at least and Duke’s is empty and quiet often enough, so they sneak food from one and then hide out in the other to eat. They look out for each other at school too, turning up to class less and less often as they discover other ways to learn about things they find interesting.

It’s a Friday afternoon when Nate finally gets his sense of touch back. Though he’s happy that it makes his life a little easier again, he dreads going home. He puts it off for as long as he can, hanging out with Duke instead, telling him he can feel.

Duke tells him the longer he leaves it to go home the better, since the newer his sense of touch is, the more likely Max is to notice Nate still getting use to it. But Nate feels sure that his father will know what’s happened, whether Nate does anything to give it away or not. And he knows that sooner or later, he will have to go home.

The next time Duke sees him, Nate is more bruised that he’s ever been. There is nothing much Duke can do to help, but he offers him ice. Nate just shakes his head, and Duke understands that the lingering pain of a bruise is never the worst part.

Duke doesn’t have anything else to offer, so he gives Nate the only other thing he can think of, something he has seen other families do for each other; a hug. It surprises him a little when Nate hugs back, but after that it doesn’t surprise him at all how long they sit there.

The only thing that Nate has felt for the longest time are his father’s fists. His mother hasn’t come near him since he got his sense of touch back, and he understands that this is his father’s doing. He has felt numb, and he has felt punches, and he has felt pain.

But now, with Duke’s arms around him, he feels something else. He feels the warmth of another’s skin, the closeness of someone who is worried about him, and he knows that he is not alone.

He feels in that moment how him and Duke have always looked out for each other. And he knows with absolute certainty that they always,  _ always  _ will.


End file.
